Blogger Custom Domain Setup: Common DNS Errors and How to Fix Them

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Blogger Custom Domain Setup: Common DNS Errors and How to Fix Them

Using a custom domain on Blogger (like www.sitepid.com instead of yoursite.blogspot.com) is essential for branding, SEO, and AdSense approval. The setup looks straightforward — buy a domain, point DNS, verify in Blogger — but DNS misconfiguration is the number one reason custom domains fail, SSL certificates do not provision, or old blogspot URLs remain indexed. This guide covers the full process and the errors we see most often.

Why Custom Domain Matters for AdSense

  • AdSense requires a domain you own — not a free subdomain on another platform.
  • Custom domains build trust with readers and search engines.
  • SSL (HTTPS) on your own domain is required for modern browser security and ad serving.
  • Sitemap and canonical URLs should reflect your production domain, not blogspot.com.

Setup Overview

  1. Purchase a domain from a registrar (Google Domains/Squarespace, Cloudflare, Namecheap, etc.).
  2. In Blogger: Settings → Publishing → Custom domain → enter your domain.
  3. Blogger provides DNS records (typically four A records and one CNAME).
  4. Add those records at your DNS provider.
  5. Wait for DNS propagation and Blogger verification.
  6. Enable HTTPS in Blogger settings once the domain is verified.
  7. Set up domain redirect so yourdomain.com redirects to www.yourdomain.com (or vice versa).

DNS Records Blogger Requires

Blogger typically asks for:

  • Four A records pointing the root domain (@) to Google's IP addresses:
    • 216.239.32.21
    • 216.239.34.21
    • 216.239.36.21
    • 216.239.38.21
  • One CNAME record for the www subdomain pointing to ghs.google.com (or the specific target Blogger shows).

Always use the exact values Blogger displays for your account — they occasionally change.

Common DNS Errors and Fixes

Error: "We can't find your domain"

Cause: DNS records not yet propagated, or records added to the wrong DNS host.

Fix: Confirm nameservers point to the DNS provider where you added records. Use dig yourdomain.com A or an online DNS checker to verify A records are visible globally. Propagation can take up to 48 hours.

Error: Conflicting A Records

Cause: Old A records from a previous hosting provider still present alongside Blogger's A records.

Fix: Remove all existing A records for @ and add only Blogger's four A records. Multiple conflicting A records cause intermittent resolution failures.

Error: CNAME Conflict on www

Cause: An existing CNAME or A record on www from a prior service (Wix, Squarespace, old hosting).

Fix: Delete the old www record entirely. Add Blogger's CNAME for www pointing to ghs.google.com.

HTTPS Not Available / Certificate Pending

Cause: DNS not fully propagated, or domain not yet verified in Blogger.

Fix: Wait 24–72 hours after DNS verification. Ensure HTTPS redirect is enabled under Settings → Publishing. Do not force HTTPS via third-party proxies (Cloudflare "Flexible SSL") while Blogger provisions its certificate — use "Full" SSL mode if using Cloudflare.

Redirect Loop Between www and non-www

Cause: Both root and www configured incorrectly, or Cloudflare page rules conflicting with Blogger redirects.

Fix: In Blogger, set one preferred domain. At your DNS provider, ensure root A records point to Google and www CNAME points to ghs.google.com. In Cloudflare, avoid duplicate redirect rules.

Email Broken After DNS Change

Cause: Replacing all DNS records removed MX records for email.

Fix: Before changing DNS, note existing MX, TXT (SPF, DKIM), and other records. Re-add email-related records after adding Blogger records.

Cloudflare-Specific Tips

  • Set SSL/TLS mode to Full (not Flexible).
  • Consider pausing the orange cloud (proxy) during initial setup to rule out proxy-related issues.
  • Do not add Page Rules that conflict with Blogger's HTTPS redirect.
  • Ensure CNAME flattening on root does not override Blogger A records incorrectly.

After Domain Is Live

  1. Verify in Google Search Console — add both Domain and URL-prefix properties.
  2. Submit sitemap at https://www.yourdomain.com/sitemap.xml.
  3. Update AdSense — change site URL from blogspot.com to your custom domain in AdSense account settings.
  4. Check indexed URLs — search site:yourdomain.com and site:yoursite.blogspot.com. Old blogspot URLs should redirect to custom domain.
  5. Update external links — social profiles, email signatures, and business listings should use the custom domain.

Blogger to Custom Domain: SEO Checklist

  • Blogger automatically redirects blogspot.com URLs to custom domain — verify with a browser test.
  • Canonical tags should reference the custom domain URL.
  • Update GA4 data stream URL if it still references blogspot.com.
  • Re-link Google Search Console and Analytics associations if properties were tied to the old URL.

When to Contact Support

If DNS records are correct globally (verified via multiple DNS lookup tools), Blogger verification still fails after 72 hours, and HTTPS remains unavailable after one week, file a issue through Blogger Help forums or check Google Workspace/Blogger status dashboards for service outages.

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